Petaluma family decorates house with 100,000 Christmas lights for a good cause
PETALUMA, Calif. (KGO) -- For the past 20 years, Heather Campbell has been hard at work each holiday season, transforming her home into a Christmas wonderland.
"It's gotten bigger and bigger and bigger," Campbell said.
This year, Campbell estimates she's put up about 100,000 lights.
It's a family tradition that started with a simple request from her son.
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"My oldest son came up to his dad and said, 'daddy, why don't we have any Christmas lights?' My husband went to Kmart and, you know, put up a couple of strings of lights. And I'm like, 'oh no, we can do way better than that,'" Campbell said.
And better she did.
Over the years, the Campbells' home has become a favorite stopping point for families all around Petaluma.
Something, many say, helps put them in the holiday mood.
"It's really cool. I've been here almost every year they've been doing this," said nine-year-old Simon Goldstein.
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But it's not just the Christmas spirit that drives Campbell to do this every year.
Outside the house, visitors will find a small donation box collecting money for a local nonprofit working to connect people in need with the appropriate resources.
"People need to just be kind to each other. Be nice. There's a lot of bad stuff going on, but this, this I can control," Campbell said.
But despite the hard work and extra money it costs to put together, Campbell says she loves bringing a smile to people's faces.
She says she doesn't plan on stopping any time soon.
"I almost feel like if I don't do it now, I'm going to be in trouble with the whole neighborhood," she said.
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